While his fan-favorite show Hannibal was canceled, 2016 looks very good for Mads Mikkelsen, who will be seen in both Doctor Strange (as the main antagonist) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (for now, it is not confirmed whether he will be a hero or a villain, but everything suggests that he will be both).
As far as his Doctor Strange role is concerned, there have been various rumors thus far, with most of them saying that Mads Mikkelsen will be some sort of vessel for a greater villain, most likely Dormammu. Speaking about the movie as a whole, the actor said that it will be like nothing else that Marvel has done before, pointing to the comic books as being more like an acid trip, describing a specific universe in the Marvel comic book universe.
Thus, according to Mads Mikkelsen, the movie will borrow the colors, the madness, and the energy of the Doctor Strange comics, but it will also be set in the already established MCU. Thus, Doctor Strange will be a Marvel movie for certain, but of a different flavor than anything the fans have had the pleasure of tasting before.
As far as his role is concerned, Mads Mikkelsen says that he doesn't portray a straight-up villain. Instead, just like Strange, his character also wants to make the world a better one. The difference is the way in which these two characters build toward that better world. In a way, this reminds us of the excellent motivation Alexander Pierce brought in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
This statement has led the fans to further believe that Mikkelsen's character will try to harness the dark forces of the Universe. He’ll fail at this, which will lead him on a collision course with Strange. Furthermore, the same fans note online that these dark forces can only come from one place - the alternate dimension where Dormammu reigns, thus explaining the character's burned eyes.
What do you think?